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WHO WE ARE

The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco is a welcoming community to all who seek a congregation grounded in love, committed to caring for one another, supporting one other in spiritual growth, and dedicated to building a compassionate, just and sustainable world.

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Congregational Covenant

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In an effort to make the world a better place, we support each other’s journey to seek truth with openness, curiosity and respect for different perspectives and paths.

As love is our spirit, we commit to respect, accept, listen to and support each other.

We hold ourselves and each other accountable by continually assessing our individual and community actions toward living into our covenant. This will include speaking up when someone’s actions are not aligned.

We commit to be in community with openness and loving kindness, acknowledging our own biases and differing perspectives.

We welcome the newcomer, we commit to building trust with each other, we celebrate differences and make space for repair when harm occurs.

OUR MISSION

As a vibrant, joyous, caring, inclusive community of diverse people, we create a nurturing space for spiritual growth and learning. Based on our shared values, we work together courageously and publicly for human rights, economic justice, and environmental salvation.

OUR VISION

We, The First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco, delight in our authentic, inclusive congregation that reaches across generations, ethnicities, and differences. We take care of one another, building spiritual community, knowing that we are stronger and accomplish more together. Guided by our responsibility to future generations, we take leadership in shaping a compassionate, sustainable world. Inspired by our courageous heritage and compelled by conscience, we hold one another accountable to work for racial, environmental, and economic justice and the dignity and rights of all.

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OUR COVENANT

Love is the spirit of this church and service is its prayer. This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in freedom and to help one another.

A BRIEF HISTORY...

Rev. John Buehrens, retired minister and church historian, offers this overview of the history of Unitarian Universalism- and UUSF- in just over 10 minutes!

Rev. John Buehrens is a member of UUSF and a past Senior Minister. He served as President of the Unitarian Universalist Association from 1993 to 2001 and is the author or co-author of nine books on liberal religion, most recently A Religious Center with a Civic Circumference: Unitarians in San Francisco Since 1850. (click here)

The first Unitarian churches emerged in Eastern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Unitarianism in the United States and Great Britain dates from the early 18th century, as does Universalism. The two denominations merged in 1961.

The First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Francisco was organized in 1850. The present church Sanctuary (the third built by the congregation) was dedicated in 1889. The Center with its Chapel, education wing, offices, and meeting rooms, was added in 1968.

From 1860 until his untimely death in 1864, our congregation was inspired by the ministry of Thomas Starr King. In 1861, he traveled across the state urging people to support the Union and bring an end to slavery. From 1862 to 1864, he raised huge sums of money for medical relief for the Union troops in the United States Civil War, and he is credited with "saving California for the Union." There is one mountain named after him in Yosemite National Park and another near his birthplace in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He is also honored with a statue in Golden Gate Park.